The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-09-16

on ne blankets prepared tOr her, she
continued to cry and lament and
woutU not touch d mOuthful of iood.
1t had grown dark by the time Ihad
eaten my supper, and 1t was now time
to look for Patton. sought, as any
man would have done under the
| circumstances, to cheer the WON,
! an up, and by and. by she
az owe crying and seemed a :
more hopeful. She explained tn.
she had removed to the Territory
from ClarksviIle, Ark, three years be.
fore, being a widow with one son. The
son had died within the year, and the
brother, who was al old bachelor,
and not in good health, had come on
to remain until the place could be
sold out. A Kickapoo buck had tax.
en- a great fancy to the woman and
wanted to marry her, and her indig-
nant refusal had called down the
raid made that day. Her story filed
me with Indignation, and as the night
came on | was terribly impatient for
Patton to return. About half past 8
o'clock | heard the gallon OF horses,
and was ready to welcome my part
ner, but before they had come in sight
the widow sprang up in great terror
and cried out:
"Oh, sir, they are the Indians who
have been on my trail! Don't let
them take me away! Let me hide in
the wagon!"
"In with you quick, and they will
have to kill me before they lay hands
on you," l replied, and she disappear
ed beneath the clover with astonish-
ing celebrity.
The gallOplng came nearer and near
er, and presently a voice hailed me:
"The camp thar-hello?''
who is it,"
"Friends."
"COme in"
With that a half-breed and a Kick.
apOO came riding into camp on horses
whichhad neither saddle nor blanket.
Both men looked savage and sullen,
and were well armed. The half-breed
could speak very good English, and
when he had come to a halt and look
ed around, said:
ave are after the woman who came
into your camp a couple Of hours ago.
| see her horse over there"
"By WHIT authority do you de-
IlanG Ler?"
"None of your business. We have
come for her, and We mean to have
her"
"DO you mean that you will take
her by force?"
81 do; and let me give you a piece of
advice. | see you are a tenderfoot.
I1nnPt TNIIt On Pm oan = rJp- - 4LS1
county. It's q great place to have
ones wings clipped in a hurry. Don't
attempt any foolishness with us. or
you'll never know what hurt you"
] had my Winchester in hand and
two revolvers in my belt. Had l
been a hot-tempered man, there would
have been some shooting before he had
concluded his bombastic speech. | am
slow to anger, especially when human
life may pay the forfeit, and / heard
him through without being rolled.
The woman was hidden away in the
wagon, and had not revealed her pres
to them by word or move.
eff the woman chooses to 60 with
you, we'll and good" / answered, as |
looked the fellow over by the light OF
the camp fire. '1f she does not you
cannot take her."
ooh, we can't, Ell? you pretty
loud for a spring chicken. Well, ask
the wench to make @ choice"
The wagon was about ten PAGES
from the fire, and in the shadow, AL
though not so much that / could not
see it pretty plainly. / had made a
step toward it when / saw a black OBJ
ject under the wheels, and, supposing
it to be a wolf, / raised my gun and
took a snap shot, caring only to send
a bulled near enough to driveit away.
The object disappeared with the echoes
Of the report, and as 1 walked along
to the wagon the two men, who had
not ~dismounted, accompanied me.
Standing Within FIVE foe OF tho vehicle
j called to the woman and asked il
she desired to 90 with the men, and
she replied:
"0l sir, save me from them, even If
you have to shoot me-"
"But you've got TO come!" shouted
the half-breed.
'She shall not col" / shouted at
him. 81 give you two Williams 90 sec
onds In which to leave camp. Now
They were close together, and my
rifle covered both. They looked
straight at me for Is or 20 seconds,
and then turned and rode away into
the darkness. followed them for a
hundred yards, when they urged their
horses to q gallop, and rode to the
north without looking back. / STOOD
and looked after them until / could
longer hear the beat oftheir horses
and / felt rather proud OF my
nerve in driving them away. It did
not occur to me until next
day that either or both Of
Them could nave got tine drop on me
TO the time Iraised my rifle, and
that while they were making threats
of what they would do they lett their
rifles lying across Their saddles. They
permitted me to force them